Horse pulling Amish buggy killed in drive-by shooting

A horse pulling an Amish buggy was shot and killed in a drive-by shooting Sunday night in rural Lancaster Co., police said.

Five passengers were riding in the vehicle as it traveled northbound on North Ronks Rd. in East Lampeter Township, about a quarter mile from Route 30.

At about 9 p.m., they heard a loud noise as a car passed by.

"They didn't think it was anything," said Sgt. Brian Cloonan. "They thought it was a firecracker at the time."

At their destination, a farm in Ronks, one of the passengers discovered the horse was bleeding from its mouth.  A bullet wound stained the horse's torso.

The horse died before a veterinarian could arrive.

None of the buggy passengers were injured.

Cloonan said it was the first and only incident of a drive-by shooting of an Amish horse he could recall.

"We've had cars crash into buggies and horses run into cars, but nothing like this before," he said.

Anyone with information is asked to East Lampeter Police at 717-291-4676.